Control mechanism for movingpicture apparatus



Oct. 17, 1933. w. w. BLAKESLEY CONTROL MECHANiSM FOR MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS Filed April 2. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 WE'ZEzbm WT Ebakcsley aw v Oct. 17, 1933. w w, BLAKESLEY 1,930,581

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS Filed April 2; 1931 4' Sheets-Sheet 2 m'b'lzbmw' VBZokea Ze Mia-W Oct. 17, 1933. w vy BLAKESLEY 1,93%531 CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS Oct. 17, 1933. w. yv. BLAKESLEY CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS I Filed April 2, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 T727116, WBZakca'Zey 5 m Waw Patented 17, 1 933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS William W. Blakesley, Brattleboro, Vt.

Application April 2, 1931. Serial No. 527,237

3 Claims. (01. 88--16.2)

This invention relates to mechanism for consuccessive reels of film in a multi-reel picture, trolling the operation of motion-picture apparaand my improved control apparatus is designed tus under the usual operating conditions in which p rticularly to f il ta th chan v r fr m two projecting machines are used alternately. one machine to the other.

It is the general object of my invention to pro- The usual procedure at the change-over is subvide mechanism by which two projecting mastantially as follows: chines may be conveniently controlled from a sin- Assume that two machines A and B are progle operating station or from one or more addivided and that the A machine is in operation, tional stations. with the end of the film approaching. The op- 10 A further object of the invention is to provide orator starts the motor of the B machine, which mechanism by which the motors, the sound aphas been already loaded with the next succeedparatus and the shutters of two projecting maing film. When the B machine is up to speed, chines may be conveniently controlled and opthe exposure and sound-control are shifted to the 1 erated inthe desired'sequence by the use of a sin- B machine but the A machine is allowed to run 15 gle operating or control device. until the end of the preceding film has been Myinvention further relates to arrangements Wound off. The A machine is then stopped and and combinations of parts which will be hereinreloaded. When the end of the film in the B after described and more particularly pointed out machine is approaching, the A machine is started" in the appended claims. up and the cycle of operations is repeated. By 0 A preferred form of my invention is shown in the use of my improved apparatus, all of these the drawings, in which successive conditions of operation are attained Fig, 1 1 front elevation of my improved conby the use of the single control lever. 20.; V trol apparatus; I will first describe the details of construction Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of an inof the apparatus and will then describe the op- 25 dex. plate; 7 l eration thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front view of my improved control Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, my immechanism with'the cover removed and with the proved control apparatus comprises a box or cascontrol circuits indicated diagrammatically; ing 30 having a cover 31 closely fitting the cas- Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of the coning 30 and secured thereon by friction or in any 30 ,trol mechanism; convenient manner. 8

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, taken along The control lever 20 is provided with an openthe line 55 in Fig. 3; ing 33, in which a headed stud 34 may be re- Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View, taken along tained by a set-screw 35. The stud 34 is inserted the line 66 in Fig. 5; from the rear through an opening 36 in the 5 Fig. '7 is a detail sectional view, taken along cover 31 and forms a journal for the control the line '7'7 in Fig. 3; lever 20. A spring plunger 38 is slidable in a Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view, taken along recess 39 in the upper end of the lever 20 and the line 88 in Fig. 4, and may be keyed or otherwise held fromangular Figs. 9 to 15 are diagrammatic views showing movement therein. The end of the plunger 38 is 40 successive settings of the control mechanism. beveled to enter the enlarged ends of a series Referring to the drawings, I have shown a conof notches or index points numbered 1 to 8 trol mechansm M (Fig. 1) having an operating inclusive in Figs. 2 and 8. The spring plunger lever 20 and an'index plate 21. Additional op- 38 acts to yieldingly retain the lever 20 in alignerating levers 22 may be mounted at additional ment with any selected notch or index point.

45 operators stations and may be connected by a A supporting member is mounted in the casing link 24 to the control lever 20. Eafli additional 30, said member being preferably built up as operating lever 22 is preferably provided with indicated in Fig. 4, with two discs 40 and 41 and an index plate 25 identical with the main index two rings 42 and 43, all of non-conducting maplate 21. It will be obvious that the number of terial and firmly secured together by bolts 45 50 operating stations may be increased as desired. to form a non-conductive support for a series In the usual operation of commercial motionof contact members.

picture apparatus, two projecting machines are Each contact member preferably comprises a provided, each having its own motor, its own sheet of suitable conducting metal, such as copper sound apparatus and its own shutter device. The or brass, bent to a U-shaped section, as inditwo projecting machines are used alternately for cated at 50 inFig. 5, having the end 'portions 51 bent outward to facilitate the entrance oi the movable contact member. These contact plates 50 may be secured between the rings 42 and 43 by bolts 53 which may also constitute terminals to the rearends of which the various connecting wires may be secured.

' A non-conducting plate or disc (Fig. 4) is mounted on a stud 61 and may be secured against a shoulder 62 thereof by a lock nut 63. The stud 61 is rotatable in a bearing opening in the plates 40 and 41 and is provided with a head 64 engaging the rear face of the plate 40.

' A cross-pin 65 in the stud 61 is received in a corresponding slot in the disc 60 and provides.

a driving connection therefor. A cross-pin 66 is also, secured in the stud 61 near the outer end thereof and is received in a slot or recess 67 in the inner end of the lever stud 34 previously described. This pin and slot connection between the control lever 20 and the stud 61 permits removal and replacement of the cover 31 without changing the adjustment or relation oi any operating parts.

A contact ring 70 is secured to the disc or plate 60, as by screws 71 (Fig. 3), and is provided with projecting contact arms a, b, c and 11.

As the plate 60 and contact ring 70 are turned angularly, the contact arms a, b, c and d enter between the spaced parts of the U -shaped contact members 50 and complete circuits therethrough. Successive contact members 50 are designated 50 to 50 inclusive in Fig. 3.

Diagrammatic connections for the several devices are indicated in Fig. 3 as follows:

Power is taken in over line wires and 81, the wire 80 being connected to a common return plate 82, to which one side of each motor and of each sound and shutter control device is connected. The second line wire 81 is connected through a flexible wire 83 to the movable contact ring 70.

The motor M for the A machine is connected to the common return plate at 84 and through a terminal 85 and a wire 86 to the contact member 50'. The motor M for the B machine is similarly connected to a terminal 87 on the return plate 82 and through a terminal 88 and wire 89 to the contact member 50.

The sound mechanism 90 of the A machine is connected to a terminal 91 and the sound mechanism 92, of the B machine is connected to a terminal 93. A switch 94 is connected by a wire '95 to an amplifier 96 which is connected through a common return wire 97 to the sound mechanisms 90 and 92. The switch 94 is movable into contact with the terminal 91 or the 'terminal 93 by one or the other of a pair of magnets 100 and 101.

The magnet 100 for the A machine is connected to a terminal 102 on the common return plate 82 and through a terminal 103 and wire 104 to the contact member 50. The magnet 101 for the B machine is connected to a terminal 105 on the return plate 82 and is also connected through a terminal 106 and wire 107 to the contact member 50 When the A machine is in use and the A magnet 100 is energized, the switch 94 will be moved to engage the contact 91, thus connecting the sound mechanism 90 of the A machine to the amplifler 96. Similarly, when the B machine is in use, the niagnet 101 will move the switch 94 against the contact 93, thus connecting the sound mechanism 92 of the B machine with the amplitler 96.

A shutter 110 is provided for the A machine and a shutter 111 for the B machine. These shutters are, provided with depending arms 112 and 113. The arm 112 is controlled by one or the other of a pair of magnets 114 and 115, and the arm 113 is controlled by one or the other of a pair of magnets 116 and 117.

The B magnets 114 and 116 are in series and when these two magnets are energized, the shutter 110 will be moved upward to cut oil the light from the lens of the A machine, while the shutter 111 will be moved downward to inoperative or open position and the picture is projected from the B machine. Similarly, when the A magnets 115 and 117 are energized, the shutterllO will be moved downward to the full line inoperative position shown in Fig. 3, and the shutter 111 will be moved upward to cover the lens of the B machine.

The B magnets 114 and 116 are connected by a wire 120 to a terminal 121 on the return plate 82 and by a wire 122 through a terminal 123 and wire 124 to the contact member50. the A magnets 115 and 117 are connected by a wire 130 to a terminal 131 on the return plate 82 and by a wire 132 through a terminal 133 and wire 134 to the contact member 50.

It will be noted that the shutter-operating magnets 114 and 116, or 115 and 117, are connected in series, so that the shutters 110 and 111 are operated together; one shutter moving to operative position and the other to inoperative position simultaneously.

Signal lights are provided for the purpose of giving a visual indication of the machine to which the sound amplifier is connected and in which the shutter is withdrawn or open. For this purpose, a signal light 140 is connected in the wire 10''! to the contact member 50, a light 141 is connected in the wire 104 to the contact member 50, a light 142 is connected in the wire 124 to the contact member 50 and a light 143 is connected in the wire 134 to the contact member 50. Whenever a circuit is completed through any one of these wires, the corresponding signal light will be illuminated. The lights 141 and 143 for the A machine may be of a diiferent color from the lights 140 and 142.

this position the projecting contact arms a, b, c

and d are all out of register with the contact members 50' to 50 If it is desired to warm up the B motor or to run the B motor for inspection or testing, 'the lever 20 is moved to the #1 notch, (Fig. 3), moving the contact ring 70 to the position shown in Fig. 9, in which position the contact arm b engages the contact member 50", completing the power circuit through the motor M of the B machine. The other contact arms a, c and d are out of contact with any contact member in this #1 position.

Assuming now that the machines are to be I placed in operation, the lever 20 is moved to the Similarly,

#3nottfliandthering70assumestheposition 50 which causes the B magnets 114 and 116 (Fig. 3) to be energized, with resultant movement of the A shutter to operative position and the B shutter to inoperative or open position, thus rendering the B machine fully operative. Engagement of the contact arm d with the contact member 50 also illuminates the light 142,

indicating visually that the. B shutter is open.

The B machine is thus fully operative, while the A machine remains at rest.

As the end of the film approaches in the B machine, the control lever is shifted to the #4 notch, moving the contact ring 70 to the position shown in Fig. 11. In this position the contact arms a, c and d engage the contact members 50 and 50 as at the #3 position shown in Fig. 10 and the B machine remains fully operative.

At the same time, however, the additional con.- tact arm b engages the contact plate 50 which completes the circuit through the motor M of the A machine and thus starts the A motor in operation.

The control lever 20 is then shifted to the #5 notch and the contact ring '70 is thereby moved to the position shown in Fig. 12, in which it will be seen that the contact arms a and b still engage the contact members 50 and 50 but that the contact arms 0 and d have shifted from the contact members 50 and 50 to the contact members 50 and 50. Such shifting of the contact arm c from the contact member 50 to the contact member 50 causes reversal of the sound control switch 94 (Fig. 3) and connects the amplifier 96 with the sound mechanism 90 of the A machine. Similarly, shifting of the contact arm I) from the contact-member 50 to the contact memher 50 causes the A magnets 1-15 and 117 (Fig. 3) to be energized, moving the shutters to the full line position shown in Fig. 3, with the A shutter 110 inoperative and open and with the B shutter 111 operative to shut off projection from the B machine. .1

When the end of'the film in the B machine has been wound off, the control lever 20 is shifted to the #6 notch, moving thecontact'ring '70 to the position shown in Fig. 13, in which the contact arms I), c and d remains in contact with the contact members 50 50 and 50 as shown in Fig.

12, continuing the A machine in full operation, while the contact arm it moves out of engagement with the contact member 50, thus stopping the motor M of theB machine.

In the usual continued operation of motionpicture apparatus, the movement of the lever 20 will now be reversed, returning through the #5 and #4 positions to the #3 position and then again reversing the direction of lever movement. In other words, the notches or index points #3, #4, #5 and #6 constitute the usual operating points and the lever 20 is moved successively back and forth between point #3 and point #6.

If, however, it is desired to stop both machines after a film has been run off in the A machine, the control lever 20 may be moved to the #7 notch, bringing the contact ring to the position shown prising in Fig. 14,'in which all of the contact arms a, b, c

and d are out of contact with any of the contact plates 50' to 50.

If it is now desired to start up the motor M of the A machine for any purpose, the control lever may be shifted to the #8 notch, bringing the parts to the position shown in Fig. 15, with the contact arm a in engagement with the contact member 50 which controls the motor M of the A machine.

I have thus provided a single control lever and switch mechanism by which the motors, the sound connections and the projection or ,exposure of two projecting machines may be conveniently controlled from any one of a plurality of stations by successive movements of a control lever 20 or 22, back and forth over a series of operating positions indicated by the notches or'index points in the index plates 21 or 25. At

the same time, the lights 140 to 143 indicate which machine is in operation as to sound and projection.

I am thus able to perform the necessary successive steps of the change-over from one projecting machine to the other in a very simple manner, and I avoid liability to mistakes in operation which otherwise often occur.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:-

1. Control mechanism for apparatus in which two projecting machines are used, each having a motor, sound apparatus and a shutter device, said control mechanism comprising a switching device movable as a unit to successive predetermined positions to render a first machine fully. operative to start the motor of moving-picture a second machine while the first machine'remains 7 fully operative, to shift the sound and projection simultaneously to the second machine while leaving the motor of the first machine running, to thereafter stop the motor of the first machine while the second machine continues in full operation, a control lever forsaid switching device, and an index cooperating with said lever and designating different operative positions of said lever, and a spring plunger in the end of said lever engageable in notches in said index to center and prevent displacement of said lever.

2. Control mechanism for moving-picture apparatus in which two projecting machines are used, each having a motor, sound apparatus and -a shutter device, said control mechanism com- .prising a switching device, manually movable as a unit to successive predetermined positions,

.means effective to render a first machine fully operative when said switch is placed in a predetermined position, means effective to start the motor of a second machine while the first machine remains fully operative when said switch is placed in a second predetermined position, means effective to shift the sound and projection simultaneously to the second machine when said switch is placed in a third predetermined position and while leaving the motor of the first machine 3. Control mechanism for moving picture apparatus in which two projecting machines are used, each having a motor, sound apparatus and a shutter device, said control mechanism com- IZO a switching device, manually movable as 15C a unit to successive predetermined positions, means effective to render a first machine fully operative when said switch is placed in a predetermined position, means effective to startthe -motor of a second machine while the first mais placed in a fourth predetermined position and while the second machine continues in full operation, said switching device being further manually movable in either direction to a neutral position beyond said predetermined positions and in which both machines are iully inoperative, and

being also movable to an extreme position ineither direction, and means to render one or the other of said motors only operative when said switch is in one or the other of said extreme positions.

WILLIAM W. BLAKESLEY. 

